Detroit Sends Jones, Thomas and 2006 First Round Pick to Minnesota for 5-time All-Star and 2006 Second Round Pick

Shock Acquires Katie Smith In Trade With Lynx

Auburn Hills, MI – Detroit Shock Head Coach and Director of Player Personnel Bill Laimbeer announced today that the team has acquired Minnesota Lynx guard Katie Smith and Minnesota’s 2006 second round draft pick in exchange for Chandi Jones, Stacey Thomas, and Detroit’s 2006 first round draft pick.

"It was difficult to give up what would be a 2006 lottery pick if the season ended today and Chandi Jones, who has made great improvements this season and shows great potential, but it’s not often that you get the opportunity to acquire a player of Katie Smith's stature," said Laimbeer. "Katie brings a toughness, a work ethic, and a style of leadership to our ball club that will push our younger players to improve on both ends of the floor. She's also obviously one of the most prolific outside shooters in the history of the sport, and should help open things up for us on the inside with the attention she will draw out on the perimeter."

Smith is in her seventh season in the WNBA all of which have been played with the Lynx. She was signed by the WNBA and allocated to Minnesota on May 3, 1999.

She brings career averages of 17.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists to Detroit, and was averaging 13.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists through 22 games (22 starts) for the Lynx in 2005. She currently ranks 12th in the WNBA in points per game and fifth in three-point field goals made (35). Smith is also the WNBA’s all-time leader in three-point field goals made with 460 and ranks fifth all-time among all players in three-point field goal percentage (.371) with a minimum of 500 attempts.

Smith has been named to five consecutive WNBA All-Star Teams and won two Olympic Gold Medals in 2000 and 2004. On July 13, Smith became the first woman in U.S. professional basketball history to reach the 5000-point mark for her career (WNBA-3,603/ABL-1,431).

Chandi Jones is in her second season in the WNBA after being drafted in the first round (eight overall) of the 2004 WNBA Draft by the Phoenix Mercury and then traded to Detroit on draft day. She is averaging 6.3 points and 1.3 assists on the year while making an appearance in all 20 of Detroit’s games.

Stacey Thomas played in 16 of 20 games for Detroit this season after being traded to the Shock in exchange for Tamara Moore on July 31, 2003. She is currently averaging 0.8 points, 0.5 assists and 0.5 steals in 8.2 minutes per game.

Experience the Detroit Shock, “It’s Personal,” presented by Lennox on Sunday, July 31 at 5:00 p.m. vs. the Phoenix Mercury the first 3,000 fans in attendance will receive a Detroit Shock Cheryl Ford Mustang Bobblehead courtesy of Ford. Shock season tickets are available by calling 248.377.0100 or by logging on to www.detroitshock.com.